Package



May 25, 1965 Filed May 14, 1963 N. B. POTTER PACKAGE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR NICHOLAS B. POTTER AI'TORNEV May 25, 1965 N. B. POTTER PACKAGE Filed May 14, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Film Su I Roll ppy Gulde Bars /g Shrink Tunnel Shrmk Tunnel m;

Package @Q INVENTOR. 'NlCHOLAS B. POTTER ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,185,300 PACKAGE Nicholas B. Potter, New York, N.Y., assignor to Union Carbide Corporation, a corporation of New York Filed May 14, 1963, Ser. No. 280,233 16 Claims. (Cl. 206-80) This invention relates to packaging and more particularly to an improved display package and method of packaging.

The advent of plastic films has enabled great improvements in display packaging. Notable successes in display packaging include the so-called skin pack package such as is prepared by the method of U.S.P. 2,855,735 to F. A. Groth. Other packages include the blister pack wherein stiff, nondeformable thermoplastic bubbles encapsulate the product to be displayed. Both of these forms of packaging provide attractive, protective coverings. Both packages, however, require the development of a seal between the substrate supporting the product and the film. This necessitates the use of special inks or special films or specially treated substrates.

A more recent approach to display packaging is detailed in U.S.P. 3,076,542 to Lowry et al. There, the need for surface adhesiveness on the portion of the package seen by the consumer is obviated by making an aperture in the substrate somewhat smaller than the product to be packaged, then drawing a film of thermoplastic through the aperture and around the product to be packaged and shrinking the thermoplastic film by application of heat. The film is prevented from pulling through the substrate by a supplementary backing board larger in at least one dimension than the aperture. This technique while ofiering some advantage over blister packaging reqiures a number of steps and is not readily adaptable to high speed automated packaging lines.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a package which is attractive and protective and which is easily assembled with minimum expense and with great speed and method of producing such package.

The method of packaging of this invention comprises bringing together the product to be packaged and a relatively stiff backing board having therein at least one pair of spaced openings, positioning the product between said openings, passing the ends of a relatively deformable thermoplastic film through each of said openings, mechanically engaging the film and the relatively stiff backing material and closely conforming the film to said product.

The package of this invention comprises a relatively stiff backing material having at least one pair of spaced openings spaced substantially as widely as the width of the product to be packaged, the product positioned between the spaced openings, a relatively deformable film of thermoplastic in close conforming contact with the product and extending from said product through each of said openings, said film and backing material being in mechanical engagement one with the other to maintain said product in position between the spaced openings.

It will be noted that the present package and method are advantageous in that a single sheet of backing material is used to support the product and to engage the film.

In the drawings, FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of one embodiment of the present package. FIGURES 2A through 2E are schematic views of the method of the present invention.

Referring to FIGURE 1 there is shown a relatively stiff backing material substantially rectangular although the geometry of this material is of no consequence. Provided in the backing material 10 is a pair of spaced openings 12 and 14. In another embodiment the edge of backing material 14) can be used as an opening in conjunction with another opening such as opening 12 or 14. As used herein then the term opening includes the area just beyond the backing material 10 edge. The product 16 is positioned between the spaced openings 12 and 14. In the embodiment shown, the spaced openings are opposed, parallel rectangular slots. These slots can be right angles or in any other arrangement. The particular configuration of the spaced openings need not be rectangular but can conform to the outline of the product to be packaged or can be any other shape. The openings 12 and 14 should be sufficiently wide to permit easy insertion of film therethrough with the product in position. It can be seen that the openings 12 and 14 can be somewhat less widely spaced than the product to be packaged in which case the film will bear on the bottom surface of the product. Or the openings can be spaced quite widely. In this case neatness of the packaging and maintaining of a retaining force on the product are the limiting factors. Covering the upper portion of the product 16 is thermoplastic film 18. The film 13 is in close conforming contact with the product 16 such as can be achieved by heating a heat-shrinkable thermoplastic film.

Referring how to FIGURES 2A through 2E one embodiment of the method of the invention is shown comprising in 2A an article to be packaged, product 16, placed on a backing member 19 having openings 12 and 14 and supporting portion 2% and carried between openings 12 and 14. This assembly is carried over an aperture 22 where there are positioned vacuum nozzles 24. Meanwhile film 18 drawn from supply roll 26 is draped over the product 16. In FIGURE 23 the guide bars 28 push through openings 12 and 14 a portion of thermoplastic film 16 While the vacuum nozzles draw the film down. Heater bars 30 moving parallel to the backing member 10 seal the film as indicated in FIGURE 2C. The film wrapped product is moved to a shrink tunnel 32 wherein the film is subjected to heat and is shrunk around the product to be packaged. 'I'he finished package 34 is then passed to a distribution point.

In the above illustration mechanical engagement between backing member 111 and the film 18 is achieved by shrinking the film around the portion 20 of the backing member 10. Other means of mechanical engagement such as adhesives, staples and the like, can be used if desired. The film fastening can be done to the portion 29 or to the areas 36 and 38 adjacent openings 12 and 14.

'Iheromplastic film which can be used in the present invention comprises one or more synthetic organic thermoplastic polymers. Generally useful polymers are homopolymers of alpha olefins, compounds having the formula R-CH=CH wherein R is hydrogen, or an aliphatic hydrocarbon group such as an alkyl group, particularly an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, and copolymers thereof with one or more other compounds copolymerizable therewith which contain polymer producing unsaturation such as is present for example in carbon monoxide and in organic compounds containing the ethylene linkage (:C e.g. styrene, vinyl fluoride, butene, vinyl acetate, vinyl formate, methyl methacrylate, monobutyl maleate, 2-ethyl hexyl acrylate, N-methyl-N-vinyl acetamide, methacrylic acid, ethyl acrylate, acrylic acid, isoprene, acrylamide, vinyl triethoxysilane, bicycloheptane, divinyl phosphonate and the like as well as other types of polymers including polycarbonates and condensation products of equimolar amounts of dihydric phenols and mono and/or diepoxide, the thermoplastic polyhydroxyethers.

The term heat shrinkable as used herein refers to the property of a film whereby it contracts in length and/ or width upon exposure to sufficient heat. Shrinking is generally attributable to a reorientation of molecules which were previously oriented by stretching the film either uniaxially longitudinally (machine direction) or horizontally (transverse direction) or biaxially (both direotions). The amount of shrinkability in the film is not critical, the only requirement being that the film fit closely to the product to be packaged after shrinking.

The term heat shrunk describes the condition of a 'heat shrinkable material after application thereto of heat sufiicient to cause shrinkage.

What is claimed is:

1. Package comprising a'relative'ly stiff backing material having at least one pair of spaced openings, product to be packaged positioned between the spaced openings, relatively deformable heat shrunk theromplastic film in close conforming contact with said product and extending from said product through each of said openings, said backing material being in mechanical engagement with the thermoplastic film to maintain said product in position between the spaced openings.

2. Package comprising a relatively stiff backing material having at least one pair of spaced openings, product to be packaged positioned between the spaced openings, relatively deformable heat shrunk thermoplastic film in close conforming contact with said product and extending from said product through each of said openings, said film being sealed around said product and the portion of the backing material underlying said product and shrunk into mechanical engagement with said portion of the backing material to maintain said product in position between the spaced openings.

3. Package comprising a relatively stiff backing material having at least one pair of spaced, opposed openings, product to be packaged positioned between the spaced, opposed openings, relatively deformable heat shrunk thermoplastic film in closeconforming contact with said.

product and extending from said product through each of said spaced, opposed openings, said backing material being in mechanical engagement wtih the thermoplastic film to maintain said product in position between the spaced, opposed openin gs.

4. Package claimed in claim 3 wherein an edge of said backing material constitutes one of the spaced, opposed openings. 7

5. Package comprising a relatively stiff backing material having at least one pair of spaced openings, product to be packaged positioned between the spaced openings, relatively deformable heat shrunk thermoplastic film in close conforming contact with said product and extending from said product through each of said openings, said film being fastened around said product by mechanical engagement with said backing material to maintain said product in position between the spaced openings.

6. Package claimed in claim wherein the film is fastened in mechanical engagement with the remote portion of the backing material underlying said product.

7. Package claimed in claim 5 wherein the film is sealed in mechanical engagement with the portion of the backing material underlying said product.

8. Package claimed in claim 5 wherein the film is fastened in mechanical engagement with the areas of the backing material spaced from the remote portion of the backing material underlying said product.

9. Method of packaging compising positioning a prodnot to be packaged on a relatively stiff backing material having at least one pair of spaced openings, said product being disposed adjacent eachof said openings, passing relatively deformable thermoplastic film through each of said openings over said product, mechanically engaging the film and the relatively stiff backing material and closely conforming the film to said product.

10. Method of packaging comprising positioning a product to be packaged on a relatively stiff backing material having at least one pair of spaced, opposed openings, said product being disposed adjacent each of said openings, passing relatively deformable thermoplastic film 4 through each of said spaced, opposed openings over said product, mechanically engaging the film and the relatively stiff backing material and closely conforming the film to said product.

11. Method of packaging comprising positioning a product to be packaged on a relatively stiff backing material having at least-one pair of spaced openings, said product being disposed adjacent each of said openings, passing relatively deformable thermoplastic film through each of said openings over said product, sealing the film to itself around said product and backing material and shrinking the film to mechanically engage the film and the relatively stiff backing material and closely conform the film to said product.

12. Method of packaging comprising positioning a product to be packaged on a relatively stiff backing material having at least one pair of spaced openings, said product being disposed adjacent each of said openings, passing relatively deformable thermoplastic film through each of said openings over said product, heat sealing the film to itself around said product and backing material and shrinking "the film to mechanically engage the film and the relatively stiff backing material and closely conform the film to said product.

13. Method of packaging comprising positioning a product to be packaged on a relatively stiff backing material having at least one pair of spaced openings, said product being disposed adjacent each of said openings, passing relatively deformable thermoplastic film through each of said openings over said product, sealing the film to the remote portion of said backing material underlying said product, mechanically engaging the film and the relatively stiff backing material and closely conforming the film to said product.

14. Method of packaging comprising positioning a product to be packaged on a relatively stiff backing material having at least one pair of spaced openings, said product being disposed adjacent each of said openings, passing relatively deformable thermoplastic film through each of said openings over said, product, sealing the film to an area of the backing material spaced from the remote portion of the backing material underlying said product, mechanically engaging the film and the relatively stiff backing material and closely conforming the film to said product.

15. Method of packaging comprising positioning a product to be packaged on .a relatively stiff backing material having at least one pair of spaced openings, said product being disposed adjacent each of said openings,

vacuum drawing relatively deformable thermoplastic film through each of said openings over said product, mechanically engaging the film and the relatively stiff backing material and closely conforming the film to said product.

16. Method of packaging comprising positioning a product to be packaged on a relatively stiff backing material having at least one pair of spaced openings, said product being disposedadjacent each of said openings,

drawing relatively deformable thermoplastic film through each of said openings over said product, mechanically engaging the film and the relatively stiff backing material and closely conforming the film to said product.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,861,404 11/58 Stratton 53-22 2,876,899 3/59 Maynard 2068O 2,989,827 6/61 Groth 53-22 3,090,484 5/63 Scholl 206 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,150,477 8/57 France.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

EARLE J. DRUMMOND, GEORGE O. RALSTON,

Examiners 

1. PACKAGE COMPRISING A RELATIVELY STIFF BACKING MATERIAL HAVING AT LEAST ONE PAIR OF SPACED OPENINGS, PRODUCT TO BE PACKAGED POSITIONED BETWEEN THE SPACED OPENINGS, RELATIVELY DEFORMABLE HEAT SHRUNK THEROMPLASTIC FILM IN CLOSE CONFORMING CONTACT WITH SAID PRODUCT AND EXTENDING FROM SAID PRODUCT THROUGH EACH OF SAID OPENINGS, SAID BACKING MATERIAL BEING IN MECHANICAL ENGAGEMENT WITH THE THERMOPLASTIC FILM TO MAINTAIN SAID PRODUCT IN POSITION BETWEEN THE SPACED OPENINGS. 